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News / Weather News

A world before Twitter and iPhones: What has changed since the last major hurricane hit the US?

By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and senior content editor

Published Aug 24, 2017 10:16 PM EDT | Updated Jul 1, 2019 5:20 PM EDT

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Hurricane Harvey became the first major hurricane to make landfall in the United States since 2005.

In 2005, smartphones and social media were not a part of mainstream culture. Storm reports and warnings were issued in traditional ways.

The most recent storm to make landfall as a major hurricane was Hurricane Wilma, doing so on October 24, 2005 in southern Florida.

A major hurricane is classified as a storm at or above Category 3 status. This means that sustained winds must be at least 111 mph.

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"Impacts from Harvey will be tremendous in terms of displacement of people, property and economic loss and travel and freight disruptions," according to AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting and Graphics Operations Marshall Moss.

Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, making it the first major hurricane to hit the United States in over 4,000 days.

2005 major hurricane infographic
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AccuWeather Weather News A world before Twitter and iPhones: What has changed since the last major hurricane hit the US?
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